ARRC Picnic is Sunday in Cuyahoga Falls

The annual Akron Railroad Club picnic will be held this Sunday (July 17) at Waterworks Park in Cuyahoga Falls at the Little Stone Shelter.

The park is located at 2025 Monroe Falls Avenue and is adjacent to the CSX New Castle Subdivision.

ARRC has reserved the shelter between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. It is located on the west end of the park, close to the dog park, children’s playground, boat launch, and to restrooms with running water.

Hamburgers and hot dogs will be provided by the club and grilled by Marty Surdyk, a.k.a. Chef Marté. He will fire up the grill around noon.

Also being provided will be some beverages and condiments. Members are asked to bring desserts, snacks, beverages, and/or covered dishes. Although there is no refrigeration the pavilion has ample electrical outlets for crock pots or roasters. However, you may need an extension cord.

Trees block the view of the CSX tracks from the pavilion, which is located north of the rails, but two photo locations are within two to three minutes of the park.

They include the Ohio Route 91 crossing to the east, which is especially good for eastbound trains in the morning, and the Bailey Road crossing to the west. The latter offers good morning views of eastbound trains and exceptional images of westbound trains in the mid-afternoon.

The next ARRC meeting will be held July 22 at the New Horizons Christian Church in Akron.

The program will be presented by Blaine Hayes, who will be showing images made during fan trips from the 1970s and 1980s.

ARRC Picnic Set for July 18

The Akron Railroad Club will hold its annual picnic next Sunday (July 18) at Waterworks Park in Cuyahoga Falls.

The club has reserved the Little Stone Shelter at the park, located at 2025 Munroe Falls Avenue.

The shelter is at the west end of the park near the dog park, a children’s playground, a boat launch and restrooms with running water. 

The club will provide hot dogs and hamburgers with Marty Surdyk, (a.k.a. Chef Marté) manning the grill.

Condiments and some beverages will be provided but attendees are asked to bring desserts, snacks, beverages, and covered dishes. There is no refrigeration available so plan accordingly.

 The pavilion has electrical outlets for crockpots or roasters but remember to bring an extension cord.

ARRC has the shelter from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.  The grill will be fired up about noon.

Although the park is adjacent to the CSX New Castle Subdivision, the view of the trains is obscured by trees.

Open views are available nearby at grade crossings for Ohio Route 91 and at Bailey Road.

The Route 91 crossing is especially good for eastbound trains in the morning. Bailey Road is good for eastbound trains in the morning and exceptional for westbound trains in late afternoon. 

ARRC Eyes Resuming Meetings in June

The Akron Railroad Club expects to resume meeting in June and will hold its first outing of 2021 over Memorial Day weekend.

The New Horizons Christian Church, where the club has met since January 2007, has resumed holding in-person services but is still working out its policies and procedures for groups to hold meetings using its facilities.

The ARRC last met in February 2020. Meetings have been suspended since then due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Club officers recently met to set the slate of activities for the year.

The first of those will be the annual Dave McKay Day in Berea on May 29.

Historically, McKay Day was held on the first Saturday in April until 2019 when it moved to the first Saturday in May.

Other events this year will include the longest day outing on June 27 in Fostoria at the Iron Triangle railfan park.

The summer picnic has been set for July 18 at Waterworks Park in Cuyahoga Falls and will be a joint event with the Forest City Division of the Railroad Enthusiasts.

The ARRC plans to wrap up its year with the end of year dinner in December at the New Era restaurant in Akron.

The end of year dinner and summer picnic were canceled last year due to the pandemic.

In an unrelated development, the RRE is eyeing May as its first in-person meeting since the pandemic began a year ago.

The RRE last met in March 2020 but has held virtual meetings online in January, February and March.

The group is considering having its April meeting in Berea as part of a day of railfanning there.